Shen Qingyan was the legitimate daughter of a scholarly family. When she was young, her family was falsely accused and sent into exile, and she was lucky to survive. She lived under an assumed name for years. When she finally returned to the capital, she was a destitute orphan whom anyone could bully. Her half-sister, Shen Qingrou, had taken her identity and enjoyed a life of luxury. Her stepmother secretly poisoned her, her clan members looked on coldly, and the powerful and privileged waited to see how she would die amid the dark intrigues of the inner residence.
But they didn't know that although Shen Qingyan appeared gentle and frail, she was skilled in medicine, poison detection, scheming, and the rules of the inner household. Using a cup of poisoned tea to turn the tables, she reclaimed her status as the legitimate daughter at a birthday banquet. Then, with her reputation, dowry, family rules, and witness testimony, she methodically struck back, turning the Marquis's household upside down. As she dug deeper into the wrongful case from years ago, Xiao Jinheng, a prince of a different surname who wielded power over the court, saw through her disguise. Not only did he secretly hand her a weapon, he also stood up for her in public. “Whoever I protect, no one dares lay a hand on.”
One seeks to clear her entire family's name, the other to restore order to the court. One wields fragility as a blade, the other power as a shield. Shen Qingyan and Xiao Jinheng go from testing each other to joining forces, as their reckoning in the inner household, power struggle at court, reopening of the old case, and ultimate revenge unfold in turn. When the chancellor's allies surround the imperial city with troops, the powerful nobles of the court finally realize that the frail, sickly legitimate daughter they once looked down on has long since drawn every one of them into her game.
